She cooks, he eats. He likes to do dishes, she doesn't. All is fair in Foodie Pleasure.

Charleston is Calling

Charleston, SC is calling our name for a visit. Half of FP (Kristina) has a good friend living in the city and we keep reading about its southern charm. Another reason is watching chefs from the city compete on Chopped. After an episode this summer which featured four chefs from Charleston, we reached out to contestant Chef Deljuan Murphy, Executive Sous Chef of Fleet Landing, to learn more about him.

DM: It was an extremely enjoyable experience. A very long day and a hard time getting on the show.

FP: What was the hardest ingredient to work with?

DM: The hardest ingredient to work with were the clams (but only cause they wouldn’t open).

FP: Oh, those clams! Would you compete on Chopped again?

DM: Yes, I would definitely do it again. I’m planning on it.

FP: How did you get your start as a chef? What do you like most about being one?

DM: I got my start as a Chef when I enrolled at Johnson & Wales. But I was always in the kitchen as I come from a long line of great cooks. The thing I like most is the creativity and the just making people smile with food.

FP: If you could cook with any three chefs in the kitchen, who would they be and why?

DM: Marcus Samuelson as he is my favorite chef. Charlie Trotter for his knowledge and Mike Lata since I love his food and would love for him to try my cooking.

FP: When you’re at home, what are some of your favorite meals to cook for yourself?

DM: I am a huge burger/sandwich guy so I love to grill and smoke meats. I also like to build crazy sandwiches such as tea smoked salmon sandwiches with meyer lemon aioli, grilled lamb burger with herbed goat cheese and beef bacon, braised short rib sliders with caramelized shallots, aioli smoked cheddar and homemade sweet sour pickles. Just a couple!

FP: You’re making us hungry! Besides Fleet’s Landing, where are some of your favorite places to eat in Charleston? Or in other cities you’ve visited?